Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 15, NWS Huntsville, AL

March 2, 2012Limestone County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 2012, 3:07 PM CST for Limestone County, Alabama. It was in force for 23 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 2, 2012, 3:07 PM CST (21:07 UTC)
Expired
Mar 2, 2012, 3:30 PM CST
In force
23 min
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Limestone County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:07 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 2, 3:26 PM CSTTORNADO 04 Nnw Athens, ALAN EF-0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON THE WEST SIDE OF EDGEWOOD ROAD/CR 65 A LITTLE SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION WITH COFFMAN ROAD. SEVERAL TREES WERE UPROOTED IN THIS AREA WITH LARGE BRANCHES FROM HARDWOOD TREES ALSO SNAPPED. THE TORNADO MOVED IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION
Mar 2, 3:26 PM CSTTORNADO4 Ne Athens, ALAN EF-0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON THE WEST SIDE OF EDGEWOOD ROAD/CR 65 A LITTLE SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION WITH COFFMAN ROAD. SEVERAL TREES WERE UPROOTED IN THIS AREA WITH LARGE BRANCHES FROM HARDWOOD TREES ALSO SNAPPED. THE TORNADO MOVED IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION
Mar 2, 3:34 PM CSTFUNNEL CLOUD5 N Athens, ALROTATING WALL CLOUD WITH FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED 5 MILES N OF ATHENS

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 2, 1:20 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 151 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2012-03-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1667 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2012-03-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 175 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1667 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
523 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
68 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
175 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
169 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
6.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

671 
WFUS54 KHUN 022107
TORHUN
ALC083-022130-
/O.NEW.KHUN.TO.W.0015.120302T2107Z-120302T2130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
307 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN LIMESTONE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 330 PM CST

* AT 302 PM CST...RADAR REPORTED A TORNADO 8 MILES WEST OF           
  COXEY...OR ABOUT 19 MILES WEST OF ATHENS...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
  THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS AND ROTATING     
  WALL CLOUDS WITH THIS STORM. IN ADDITION...THIS STORM PRODUCED     
  STRUCTURAL DAMAGE NEAR MUSCLE SHOALS. THIS STORM ALSO HAS A        
  HISTORY OF PRODUCING BASEBALL TO SOFTBALL SIZED HAIL.

* LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
  CAIRO.
  CARTWRIGHT.
  ELKMONT.
  HIGHWAY 72 WEST OF ATHENS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3479 8686 3476 8721 3477 8727 3479 8726
      3482 8722 3494 8721 3500 8692
TIME...MOT...LOC 2106Z 257DEG 38KT 3483 8726

$$
2 follow-up statements
368 
WWUS54 KHUN 022118
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
318 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ALC083-022130-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-120302T2130Z/
LIMESTONE AL-
318 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CST FOR NORTHERN
LIMESTONE COUNTY...

AT 311 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR COXEY...OR ABOUT 
12 MILES WEST OF ATHENS...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. THIS STORM HAS A 
HISTORY OF PRODUCING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE ALONG WITH HAIL UP TO THE 
SIZE OF SOFTBALLS.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
CARTWRIGHT...ATHENS...AND ELKMONT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.


&&

LAT...LON 3479 8686 3476 8720 3480 8723 3486 8721
      3493 8721 3498 8693
TIME...MOT...LOC 2117Z 257DEG 38KT 3484 8712

$$
841 
WWUS54 KHUN 022123
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
323 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ALC083-022130-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-120302T2130Z/
LIMESTONE AL-
323 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CST FOR CENTRAL
LIMESTONE COUNTY...

AT 316 PM CST...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 
REPORTED A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NORTH OF HIGHWAY 72 
APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES WEST OF ATHENS...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. THIS 
IS A DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION!

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
ELKMONT...
I-65 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 361 AND 354.
THACH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3477 8713 3482 8716 3486 8717 3493 8718
      3498 8693 3479 8686 3478 8697
TIME...MOT...LOC 2121Z 257DEG 38KT 3484 8707

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Huntsville, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 2, 4:44 AM CSTWind AdvisoryHUNColbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale and 5 more11 hr
Mar 2, 7:21 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence39 min
Mar 2, 8:09 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence, Limestone51 min
Mar 2, 8:51 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison24 min
Mar 2, 9:12 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone, Madison33 min
Mar 2, 9:15 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence30 min
Mar 2, 9:18 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone, Madison27 min
Mar 2, 9:35 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone, Madison25 min
Mar 2, 9:41 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson, Madison34 min
Mar 2, 9:59 AM CSTTornado Warning EmergencyHUNJackson, Madison31 min
Mar 2, 10:10 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson35 min
Mar 2, 10:24 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson, Madison36 min
Mar 2, 1:01 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNLawrence, Limestone44 min
Mar 2, 1:26 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNFranklin34 min
Mar 2, 1:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone30 min
Mar 2, 1:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNFranklin, Lawrence29 min
Mar 2, 1:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone, Madison50 min
Mar 2, 2:00 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone30 min
Mar 2, 2:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale24 min
Mar 2, 2:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale31 min
Mar 2, 2:41 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence34 min
Mar 2, 3:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Lawrence29 min
Mar 2, 3:26 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNLimestone, Madison34 min
Mar 2, 3:27 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNLawrence33 min
Mar 2, 3:44 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLimestone31 min
Mar 2, 3:58 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson, Madison14 min
Mar 2, 4:00 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLawrence, Morgan30 min
Mar 2, 4:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson, Madison50 min
Mar 2, 4:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman, Morgan30 min
Mar 2, 4:21 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNMadison24 min
Mar 2, 4:33 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNCullman, Morgan27 min
Mar 2, 4:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson, Madison24 min
Mar 2, 4:55 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNMorgan15 min
Mar 2, 5:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson46 min
Mar 2, 5:49 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman26 min
Mar 2, 5:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson18 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.